This San Francisco single-family structure used to be a bar. Then it was moved to its current location and split into a duplex. Lawson Willard’s task was to transform it into a coherent custom home for an owner who values tranquility. “He wanted an oasis from the city,” says Willard about his client, “and a transitional space to hear gentle water and see specific objects that would change your mindset.” The entry sequence moves visitors from the garden gate into a meditative state via a 300-square-foot entry foyer.
The owner wanted his prized Thai Buddha to be the focus of the space. A skylight backlights this peaceful icon, while a pond outlined in dark slate inlaid with brass gurgles gently at Buddha’s feet. The fountain’s mechanics are hidden in the statue’s base and the slate trim projects about 2 inches over the water for a seamless look. Willard jokes that the pond will last longer than the house. “The entry is about 5 feet above street level and the contractor had to build a wood structure up from the ground and encase it in concrete for support.” Builder: Structural FX, San Mateo, Calif.; Architect: Lawson Willard Architecture, San Francisco; Interior designer: Your Space, San Francisco; Photographer: David Duncan Livingston.
